Photos

Comments

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  Lynn Ardent May 29, 2016 at 10:04pm

  Great photos Peter!  I really appreciate you sharing what the souks look like since I don't have the opportunity to travel myself.  Did you find any treasures?  The inventory on display appears a bit picked over.
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  Peter Hoesli May 30, 2016 at 2:18am

  Dear Lynn;
  Many thanks for your comments. This is what many souks in the Middle East look like (... well, at least this type of shops...). In general, souks in the Middle East are clean. Also, the cities in Saudi Arabia, which I have seen so far, are very clean. However, the environment is dusty and sandy and the shops usually keep their doors open, which makes the items on sale dusty. It is a matter of discovering the extraordinary items in the midst of this. Also, not all items look like some of the ones, displayed on the photos. In such an environment, it is important that one is building up relationships with the vendors. This comes after several visits. Private people, who have jewelry for sale, usually go to such places to sell them. If you have a good relationship with the shop owners, they will keep the best pieces for you as they know that you visit them monthly. The best pieces are either kept in showcases or in cupboards/drawers out of the public eyes. The vendors only direct your attention to such pieces, if they feel that you are genuinely interested in them and willing to pay the price for good quality items. While I do bargain, I do not bargain too much. Like this, I incentivize the shop owners (without overpaying of course), who are usually waiting for my weekly/monthly visits... I bought this time a few items, which I have photographed for customs procedures (in case....). Once they have been cleaned, you will never imagine the environment I selected them from! By the way, you would be surprised what kind of jewelry such shops can yield! The shop pictured above was only one of three. The second shop was the best - the owner a bit more organized, business minded and cleaner in display. He had some great pieces, which I bought immediately. He had 4 individual armlets, which caught immediately my attention - I bought two of them. They were not cheap but are splendid, large, so beautiful and elegant in shape and pattern ... and when cleaned, will look stunning. I cannot really identify them yet as I have never seen such types before. They definitely look Saudi and the vendor told me that they are from Southern Saudi Arabia, close to the border to Yemen, which seems now the only source of jewelry in Saudi Arabia. I also bought a quite extraordinary Saudi necklace, which really shows the Yemeni influence, but it is from Saudi Arabia. If you like, I can post the photos but I prefer posting after I have cleaned the items.... It would not do justice to them....
  With kind regards.
  Peter
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  Alaa eddine SAGID June 8, 2016 at 1:17pm

  I second Lynn's praise. thank you for this on the ground report.

  It totally fits with my experience in oroccan souks with wonderful dealers.

  It seems that the abundance of good pieces is something of the past (which i have not wtnessed myself, only through accounts of dealers and older collectors speaking about sacks and kilograms of silver jewels filling entire warehouses....)

  I find it interesting that you have been told or witnessing the last source of jewels being south Arabia. I would have expected in Riyadh at least a decent selection of the lovely turquoise silver jewels! have you found any?

  I have never been to riyadh, but went to Jeddah and the offer was very poor (almost inexistent) and my experience with the country i would sum in a humouristic phrase: a mix between India and Dubai: very puzzling actually and far from enjoyable most of the time, but riyadh could be an exception being the capital.

  thanx again for sharing